[Jackofalltrades03]

If I were buying something like that, I would have verified physical address through county tax records and address before sending squat unless I knew you. Just saying. Verifying people now is a heck of a lot easier that it use to be.

Ten years ago I caught a guy and I even managed to backtrack his REAL info and sent him a picture of himself......

 

[Jackofalltrades03]

Mods: If we are going to make a purchase, and know a seller’s reported address, are we able to reach out to you to cross check their IP address location? I mean, you don’t have to disclose much, but if a seller telling me he is in Georgia is actually in Nigeria that might be useful info.

There are easy ways to direct a IP address and spoof a location. Like stated in this thread. Call them on the phone. If they won't talk, move on.......IMHO

 

[Jackofalltrades03]

I'll give y'all another thing to be careful of. As a Realtor we are finding more and more packages at homes that are unoccupied listed properties or properties that are second homes that are frequently unoccupied. And when looking at the shipping labels, they don't match the owners or tenants. Usually it turns out to be scam orders, sometimes drugs.

Bottom line in my opinion. Start actually talking to people. We are relying to much on electronic communication and not enough on spoken words. It's a lot easier to steal from someone if they don't hear the deceit in their voice.

 

[Jackofalltrades03]

I’ve been away from ITech for 3 years.
but is there a way to just ban all IP’s coming from Nigeria, or even Africa?

or as a second thought. Run an IP trace on all new members and just ban them if they are coming from Nigeria.

there must be a way to fight this, or at least give them speed bumps to go elsewhere in this day and age. Scammers are like water, they take the easiest paths. If the forum can check them at the point if new membership, they will go elsewhere.

On the Forum I had, I would have to manually accept each member. If they were Russian Federation, they just got banned out the gate before they ever got in.